Washing machine



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III II T QW ll A. T. EDWARDS WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1924 A. T. EDWARDS WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 28, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR. fllezaim'r [fa #47019 M 5 /1 TTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES ALEXANDER 'I. EDWARDS, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

WASHING MACHINE.

Application filed. January 28, 1924. Serial No. 689,075.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER T. ED- wAnDs, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and Improved lVashing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing machines and the object of the invention is to provide a machine for washing clothes in which the clothes are alternately pressed to squeeze out the water and are then allowed to expand and soak up the water before being pressed again.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine comprising two rollers adapted to be pressed outwardly against the cylindrical side of the washing machine and adapted to roll around the innor surface of the washing machine on vertical axes to engage the clothing between the rollers and wall of the tub.

A further object of the invention is to provide a washing machine in which the rollers are corrugated and adapted to fit similar corrugations on the inner surface of the washing machine tub.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine in which the rollers and clothing may be lifted from the tub in a single operation to allow the water to drain from the clothes before being passed through the wringer.

These objects and the several novel features of the invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed and the preferred form of construction by which these objects are attained is shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of a washing machine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 8-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an'enlarged section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

The washing machine comprises a cylindrical tub 1 formed preferably of sheet metal and provided with corrugations 2 in the side thereof as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The

tub 1 is supported by the legs 3, 4 and 5 which are secured to the tub and provided with brackets 6 for supporting the tub as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. A metal plate 7 is supported beneath the tub on the legs 3, 4 and 5 and an electric motor 8 is mounted on the plate 7. A clutch 9 is provided as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 which may be operated by a lever 10 to cause the motor to drive the worm 11 or release the motor from driving the worm 11. This worm 11 meshes with a worm gear 12 which is secured to the shaft 13, the shaft 13 at the lower end being rotatably mounted on the bearing 14 provided in the plate 7. The shaft 13 extends upwardly through a packing nut 15 to the interior 'of the tub and the upper portion of the shaft within the tub is squared as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. A plate 16 is provided with a square aperture at the center and fits over the square portion of the shaft 13, the plate resting on the shoulder 17 provided by the cylindrical portion of the shaft. A yoke 18 is provided at the upper end of the shaft with a square aperture fitting the shaft and at each end as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3 is provided with a slot in which a bearing block 19 is slidably mounted. These bearing blocks as shown in Fig. 5 provide bearings for the upper ends of the shafts 20 and a spring 21 is provided for forcing each bearing block toward the cylindrical wall of the tub. The plate 16 is provided with a similar construction having ways for bearing blocks similar to the bearing blocks 19 shown in Fig. 5 and springs are provided for forcing these bearing blocks outwardly, the bearing blocks supporting the lower end of the shafts 20 as shown in Fig. 4. Each shaft 20 is provided with a drum or roller 22 secured thereto as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and these drums may be formed from a block of wood or may be made of sheet metal as shown and corrugated vertically to fit the vertical corrugations 2 in the wall of the tub 1.

The shaft of the electric motor 8 at the opposite end the worm, as shown in Fig. 2, is provided with a bevel gear 23 meshing with the bevel gear 24 on a vertical shaft 25. This shaft extends upwardly into a gear box 26. The upper end of the shaft is provided with a gear (not here shown) which by turning the handle 27 is made to rotate the rollers of the wringer in one direction or the other as is well known in wringer construction.

In operation the clothes to be washed are placed within the Whom the plate 16 which is provided with-a multiplicity of apertures 28 therethro-ugh and the tub is filled with soapy water to about the line 30 shown in Fig. 4. At this time the electric motor 8 is started which rotates the 'wringer' shaft 25 idly and by throwing the lever 10 the clutch 9'is engaged so that the worm 11 is driven by the motor. This drives the worm gear 12 and rotates the shaft 13 which turns the plate 16 and yoke 18 carrying the rollers 22 and these rollers will revolve due to engagement with the cylindrical side of the tub. The rollers are of sufficient diameter so that they ride up over any clothing lying near the Wall of the tub and during rotation of the rollers the clothes tend to feed around with the rollers against the wall of the tub where the rollers may roll over the clothes. The corrugated surface of the rollers also tends to feed the clothes between the rollers and the wall of the tub and clothes are continually circulated and moved about in the water by the movement of the rollers there through. During travel of the rollers the clothes are alternately squeezed out between the rollers and the wall of the tub, the coiled springs 21 allowing the rollers to give when passing over the clothes even when a considerable quantity of clothes is moved between the rollers and wall of the tub. 'When the rollers pass over the clothes they are forced toward the shaft 13 which moves the shaft 20 of each roller and forces the bearing blocks at both ends of the roller toward the center of the tub thus compressing the springs 21. It will thus be noted that the springs 21 exert considerable pressure in forcing the rollers'outwardly and thus the clothes are squeezed between the rollers and wall of the tub which squeezes considerable water out of the clothes. As the rollers pass off from the clothes the clothes will again soak up the water and are circulated in the tub by the water until again brought between the rollers and tub. In this manner the water is squeezed out of the clothes and the clothes are again allowed to soak up the soapy water and this process of passing soapy water through the meshes of the cloth removes all dirt and thoroughly cleans the clothes in the shortest possible time. When the machine has run sufficient time toclean all the clothes the lever 10 is moved to disengage the clutch 9 which stops rotation of the shaft 13 at which time by taking hold of the arm 18 the arm may be lifted upwardly which carries the rollers 22 and the plate 16 whereby the clothes are lifted upwardly from the tub and are allowed to drain through the apertures 28 in the plate 16. By thus removing the clothes from the washing machine they may be easily passed through the wringer and bythis arrangement necessity of searching through the water in the washing machine for the clothes to be passed through the wringer is eliminated. This feature is particularly valuable when the washing machine is provided with a gas'burner beneath the tub for heating the water, for which this machine is adapted if desired. To operate the wringer it is only necessary to turn the lever 27 in one direction or the other from a neutral position to drive the wringer rolls in one direction or the other by'means of beveled gears within the casing 26 which is of very common construction and for that reason is not here shown.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is very simple and efficient in operation, will not easily get out of order, is of strong construction and provides a device which accomplishes the objects described.

Having thus fully described my invention, its utility and mode of operation, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is- 1. In a washing machine, a cylindrical tub provided with vertical corrugations in the cylindrical side thereof, a vertical shaft extending centrally of. the tub, a circular plate secured to the shaft in the bottom of the tub and provided with a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, a pair of rollers each provided with a vertical shaft, the cylindrical surface of the rollers being corrugated vertically to fit the corrugations of the tub, each roller shaft being provided with a bearing block at the upper and lower ends, a yoke secured to the upper end of the central shaft and provided with ways in the opposite ends in which the bearing blocks on the upper ends of, the roller shafts are slidably mounted, a spring 1n each end of the yoke tending to force the bearing blocks outwardly from the center of the tub, the circular plate being provided with ways in which the bearing blocks for the lower Y end of the roller shafts are slidably mounted, a spring tending to force each bearing block in the circular plate outwardly, and means for rotating the vertical shaft in the center of the tub.

2. In a washing machine, a cylindrical tub, a vertical shaft extending centrally of the tub, a circular plate securedto the shaft in the bottom of the tub,'a pair of rollers each provided with a vertical shaft,

tub, a vertical shaft extending centrally of the tub, means for rotating the shaft, a

circular plate secured to the shaft in the bottom of the tub and provided with a multiplicity of apertures therethrough, a yoke secured to the upper end of the shaft, a roller rotatably mounted between each end of the yoke and the circular plate, and yielding means forcing each roller into contact with the cylindrical side of the tub.

4. In a Washing machine, a cylindrical tub, a vertical shaft extending centrally of the tub, means for rotating the shaft, a yoke and a circular plate secured to the shaft in spaced relation, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted between the ends of the yoke and the circular plate, and a series of springs carried by the yoke and plate adapted to force the rollers into contact With the side of the cylindrical tub.

5. In a Washing machine, a cylindrical tub, a vertical shaft extending centrally of the tub, a yoke secured to the upper end of the shaft, a circular plate secured to the shaft in the bottom of the tub, a pair of rollers rotatably mounted beween the plate and yoke, yielding means forcing the rollers into contact With the cylindrical side of the tub, and means for rotating the shaft.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification.

ALEXANDER T. EDWARDS. 

